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Piloting a Social Networks Strategy to Increase HIV Testing and Counseling Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Greater Accra and Ashanti Region, Ghana

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Abstract

The 2011 Ghana Men’s Study identified a high prevalence of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Accra/Tema (34.4 %) and in Kumasi (13.6 %), whereas the HIV rate among MSM referred through peer educators (PEs) to HIV testing and counseling (HTC) services in these two sites was substantially lower (8.4 %). These findings raised questions about possible limitations of the peer-education strategy to reach high-risk MSM. Therefore, a pilot study was conducted to assess the feasibility of using a social network strategy (SNS) to identify and refer MSM to HTC services. Within 3 months, 166 MSM were reached and referred to HTC services: 62.7 % reported no recent exposure to PEs; 61.5 % were unaware of their recent HIV serostatus; and 32.9 % were newly diagnosed HIV positive. This pilot study suggests that an SNS could be an important strategy to reach MSM and to increase the uptake of HTC.

Resumen

El Estudio de Hombres de Ghana del 2011, identificó una alta prevalecía de VIH entre hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH) en Accra/Tema (34,4 %) y en Kumasi (13,6 %); mientras que la tasa de VIH entre HSH referida a través de los educadores entre pares (EP) a los servicios de asesoría y prueba voluntaria para VIH (APV), fue mucho menor en estos dos sitios (8,4 %). Estos hallazgos plantean preguntas acerca de las posibles limitaciones de la estrategia de educación entre pares para alcanzar HSH de alto riesgo. Por lo tanto, se condujo un estudio piloto para evaluar la viabilidad del uso de una estrategia de redes sociales (ERS), para identificar y referir HSH a los servicios de APV. En tres meses, se refirieron 166 HSH a los servicios de APV: 62,7 % reportó que no hubo exposición reciente a los EP; 61,5 % desconocían su estado serológico de VIH más reciente y el 32,9 % fueron recién diagnosticados VIH positivos. Este estudio piloto sugiere que una ERS podría ser una estrategia importante para alcanzar HSH y para aumentar la difusión de los servicios de APV.

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Acknowledgments

This work is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of FHI 360 and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Financial assistance was provided by USAID under the terms of GHH-1-03-07-0043-00, the HIV/AIDS Preventions for Most-at-Risk Populations and People Living with HIV in Ghana Project. FHI 360 in Ghana currently implements the Strengthening HIV/AIDS Response Partnership with Evidence-Based Results (SHARPER) project. The authors would like to thank the MSM who participated in this study and provided us with an opportunity to learn more about them. We acknowledge Erica Frimpong and Hilda Baker who coordinated the field activities for the implementation of the pilot study, and the counselors and other health care providers of the Ghana Health Service who have substantially contributed to the implementation of this pilot study and who counseled, tested, and referred respondents. These persons are Vivian Addison, Samuel Nuvor, Ansong Tweneboah, Mercy Okyere-Darko, Aboagye M. Gershon, Agatha Appiah and Abass David. The community liaison officers, Joshua O. Akuamoah and Mansil Mohammed were also instrumental in hel** counselors identify seeds in both regions. The authors would also like to acknowledge Cyprian Wejnert, who provided prompt and useful guidance for analyzing the recruitment patterns in this pilot study, and Peter Wondergem and Emmanuel Essandoh from USAID Ghana for their technical assistance and support. We also thank Michael Szpir, FHI 360, for editing this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. FHI 360 Ghana, 148A Giffard Road, PO Box CT 4033, Accra, Ghana

    Philippe Girault, Kimberly Green, Nana Fosua Clement, Yussif Ahmed Abdul Rahman, Bashiru Adams & Samuel Wambugu

  2. K-REP Centre, 5th Floor Wood Avenue, Off Argwings Kodhek Road, PO Box 39804-00623, Nairobi, Kenya

    Samuel Wambugu

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  1. Philippe Girault
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Correspondence to Samuel Wambugu.

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Girault, P., Green, K., Clement, N.F. et al. Piloting a Social Networks Strategy to Increase HIV Testing and Counseling Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Greater Accra and Ashanti Region, Ghana. AIDS Behav 19, 1990–2000 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1069-z

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